Ray's skills
by BIFF1
Summary: Suki thought she knew Ray. He was just a strong overconfident bully who had a crush on her. Ray however has some hidden skills he's willing to dust off in order to win her over. COMPLETE!
1. Dancing

A/N: this came out when I was in the middle of movie night. It didn't fit there but I liked the idea too much to scrap it. I was thinking of doing this as a short chaptered story.

**Ray's Skills: Dancing**

The soft twangs of a guitar and teenage chatter filled the air of the cafeteria. It had once again been transformed from lunch room to lunch room with streamers and music. Despite the music being mostly from before the British invasion the whole thing seemed to be going very well. People were even dancing this time.

Pretty much everyone but Suki. She stood against the wall watching her friends.

CJ had managed to get Ian on the dance floor and they were now fumbling around trying to figure out where to put their hands. It was really quiet funny. And Gabe was on the other side of the room talking happily with a couple of girls from the student council by the refreshments. No doubt dazzling them with some pretty much fake story of his heroism, and a little bit of his hypersuading. For all the girls seemed to be enamoured with him. Suki shook her head, they really should have known better and if they got hypersuaded right into Gabe's arms they had no one to blame but themselves.

She sighed and beat out some wrinkles from her dress hoping that doing something would make standing on the sidelines look more like her own idea and less like she had been abandoned.

Wondering who else was suffering her particular affliction she looked around the room and through the swaying bodies of her classmates she could see Ray and Don laughing. They didn't look like they were suffering at all. They looked like they were having a great time. It really wasn't fair what was so funny? She looked at them trying to decipher what exactly they thought was so funny but while she was trying to find out what was so funny Ray looked across the room. Their eyes locked.

Suki panicked, _Don't break eye contact first that means that he's in control._ She desperately tried to apply the rules of establishing dominance with a pet on Ray. She didn't think it was working because while she could feel her face get hot with the prolonged eye contact he looked completely calm, cool, even a little pleased. She bit her lip trying to remain calm as she watched Ray speak to Don and then without breaking eye contact start across the room towards her.

_Holy crap! This is not what is supposed to happen! He's supposed to back down! He's supposed to look away! He's supposed to feel intimidated not invited!_ She made a mental note to never use this method again.

"You look bored." He was standing in front of her now, all in black like a little cloud of gloom. Except his eyes didn't match the rest of the theme, they sparkled with laughter.

She swallowed hard feeling acutely aware of how close he was standing, "You however look like your having a great time."

"Oh well we were just..." Ray faltered and looked across the dance floor to where Ian was tentatively placing his hands on CJ's shoulders.

"You were laughing at Ian..." her nose scrunched up displeased despite the fact that she also thought it was funny.

Ray shrugged, "Well how do you not know where to put your hands?"

She quirked an eyebrow, "And I suppose you do?"

"Yes." He held out a hand to her, "Shall I prove it?"

She scoffed, "I don't think so." She started to walk away from him when she heard it. He had laughed. He had trapped the majority of it in his throat but it still made that distinctive sound. She whipped around on her heel to face him, "What was that?"

"You can't dance."

"I most certainly can." She put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes.

"Prove it." he smirked and held out his hand as the song changed to another slow song.

Eyes narrow she grabbed his hand harshly and almost stomped onto the dance floor. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. She had completely fell into his trap, she turned her head and saw that he was smiling brightly. He could have light up the entire campus with that smile. Her heart jumped. She whirled around sharply in his hand when she found an appropriate space for dancing.

The music swelled as he put a hand on the small of her back and pulled her closer to him. Too close her mind screamed. They weren't pressed against each other like so many other students were but they were achingly close. She didn't think she could take it, being this close to him. _To anyone._ She told herself assuring herself that the heavy weight in her chest would have happened if she was this close to any boy. This feeling that ran through her body like an electric current had nothing to do with Ray. She was surprised at how he was holding her, it was a classic dance position. Something their parents would use. It fit the music wonderfully.

And in perfect time to the music he began to lead her across the dance floor. In a swooping breathtaking display they waltzed.

"This is a waltz." She said easily following his lead.

"Yes it is."

"You can waltz?"

"I thought that would be obvious by now." He smiled down at her as they literally danced circles around a bewildered looking Ian. Many of the students had made way for them, and if Suki hadn't been so utterly blown away by the fact that Ray could not only waltz but waltz well she would have been embarrassed by amount of eyes watching them.

"My mom made me learn when I was little." He shrugged as he slowed down with the outro of the song. He spun her gently away from him as they turned. Suki couldn't help but smile. She hadn't danced like this in years, it reminded her of the parties her fathers company threw. She spun back into him laughing quietly to herself as she slid back into place her hand resting on his upper arm. She looked up at him smiling as they stopped with the music.

"Ray." she smiled as he let go of her stepping away from her, suddenly her chest ached at the loss of him closeness.

He smiled brightly laughing a little he pushed his hair away from his face, "So I guess you can dance."

"I told you so." she bit her lip and looked down at his shoes.

A quickly paced song filled the room and Ray leaned in close to her ear. Her heart pounded heavily against her chest it felt as if someone was knocking. She held her breath waiting to hear his words.

When he spoke she could feel his mouth against her ear and it caused something in her body to twist in anticipation, his voice was calm and dark and filled with a confidence that had until he danced seemed completely unfounded, "Lets do this again sometime."

She opened her mouth to answer him but he had already left her, alone on the dance floor. And she was almost glad of it because she had no idea what her answer would've been. She started to slowly walk off the dance floor to where she had originally been. There standing against the same wall she had been occupying only minutes before were a very worried Ian, and confused looking Gabe and a giddy looking CJ.

"What was that?" Ian asked.

"It's called a Waltz." Suki told him knowing that that wasn't what she had meant but not really caring, "Ceeje, I'm a little tired I'm going to go to bed."

CJ looked desperately around before she said somewhat reluctantly, "I still have some stuff I need to take care of, but I'll be there shortly." CJ gave her a very meaningful 'we will talk later' face before she slipped away into the room dealing with whatever it was she needed to deal with.

"You okay Suke? You look a little out of it." Gabe asked worriedly, "Do you need me to walk you to your dorm?" she just shrugged not really caring and started to walk out of the room.

She was confused but happily so. She smiled softly she could still feel his hand on the small of her back. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all. I mean at the very least he was a good dancer.

A/N: please review with what you think Ray's next surprising skill should be!


	2. Cooking

A/N: so holy Christmas cakes, I got so many great suggestions for Ray's hidden talents that I pretty much have the whole story planned out. Don't worry everyone who wanted our boy to sing his way into Suki's heart there's time.

**Ray's Skills: Cooking**

Suki sat on her bed and waited for CJ to get back from the dance. She knew from the look on her face that she was far too excited to let her go to sleep. So instead Suki sat and started her French homework. It wasn't going very well, the rhythm of the romantic language reminded her of the waltz. And those thoughts lead to an odd mix of memories, parties Sato Systems threw and of Ray guiding her across the floor. Thoughts of Ray felt awkward and sent a shiver across her skin.

A half an hour of working on the same French question later CJ burst through their door.

"Okay so tell me everything! How he asked you to dance how he held you, how it felt to be held by someone who knows what there doing,"Her voice temporarily dropped from its excited pitch and she rolled her eyes. Obviously Ian's inability to slow dance hadn't gone unnoticed by his partner, "how it felt to dance around the room like a princess! Everything!" CJ threw herself on Suki's bed,"And by everything I mean I even want to know how he smelled. Full. Recount. of. events...now." she thrust her fist into Suki's now flustered face as if it was a microphone.

"Umm...stop that." she pushed CJ's hand away as she spoke, "I don't know where to start ask me questions?"

"Okay how did you end up dancing with Ray of all people?"

Suki explained that the rules used to establish dominance with an animal had had the opposite effect on Ray.

CJ smiled, "Well of course it didn't work! He's in love with you!"

"He's not in love with me, he just likes me that's all."

"Uh huh." CJ rolled her eyes but saw the blush flash across her friends face and saw that it was wise to leave that particular topic for another day, "So let me get this straight he got you to ask him to dance?"

"Pretty much, he didn't think I could dance so i just wanted to prove him wrong." she shrugged. She could tell by the look on CJ's face that they were both aware that she had known that it was a trick. She sighed and felt like a fool. She may not have fallen willingly into his trap but it certainly hadn't been blindly either.

"So," the excitement returned to CJ's face as she pushed herself off her friends bed, "This waltz? How does it go?" She stood in the middle of the room in the empty space between their beds and raised her hands in what she thought was the proper stance.

Suki smiled at how silly she looked and laughed before she took mercy on her friend and got up to help her. She stood close to CJ and moved her hands to the proper locations, "Here and... here." She smiled at her best friend and started to lead her in the up and down box step of a beginners waltz.

"Is this how Ray held you?" she asked in awe at how delicately Suki was holding her and guiding her around the room.

"No..." A blush rose in her face again as she moved the hand on CJ's shoulder blade to the small of her back. She remembered how not two hours ago Ray had held her like this and her skin burned at the memory. She pulled CJ a little closer to her and tried to mimic how Ray's touch had felt more like a ghost then the superman grip she had been expecting.

CJ's heart pounded in her ears as she let Suki whirl her around like a princess her touch more of a whisper of feeling then anything else. If Ray had held her like this she would have melted, hell she was melting for Suki and she had no inklings of 'confusion'. She cleared her throat trying to stay on task, "Did you talk?"

"Just about how his mother had made him take dance lessons." Suki said simply her eyes unfocused. Suki smiled lightly and a gentle heartwarming feeling spread from her into CJ.

CJ pulled herself from Suki. "Suki? Do you like Ray?"

The unfocused gentle heartwarming look on her face vanished, she turned away from CJ and walked towards her bed, "No." she said simply. Her voice wasn't hard or offended it was as if she was reciting a science fact, "He's a good dancer sure," she shrugged pulling back her covers her face still turned away from CJ as if she knew the girl was trying to get a read on her, "But it will take more than a great waltz for me to forget that he's a jerk."

Suki hated Home Economics. She was terrible at it. She could copy everything the instructor did but it was always horrible. No matter how closely she followed or how wonderful it looked it always ended up tasting like dirt. She sighed heavily and looked sadly at Gabe. Gabe had the unfortunate luck to be her home economics partner.

"I hate this class." she whined quietly to Gabe who just smiled.

"Don't worry Suke," he patted her on the back comfortingly, "No matter what happens I'll talk us into a better grade." Normally this cheered Suki up but today it had the opposite effect, she wallowed in defeat and slumped forward onto the counter of their kitchenette.

She made a horrible discontented noise into the laminate before she turned her head to look at her partner, "If I wasn't you're partner you wouldn't have to keeping doing that...and you wouldn't have to keep eating stuff that tastes like dirt."

"Suki..."

"Ugh! I'll never be able to feed myself!" She lamented as Home Economics made his appearance.

"Good morning everyone. I'm sure you're just as happy as I to have this class right before lunch so lets get down to it so that we can snack ahead of schedule." He smiled good naturedly and Suki couldn't help but hate him. He just seemed so happy to see her fail every week, she was sure he was the meanest teacher in all of Tower Prep and that was saying something. Sighing she pulled the textbook out of the drawer next to the small sink and opened it up.

"Ahh but before you start getting ready I'd like you all to switch partners."

"What?" a general outcry came from the students and Suki's hatred for the man deepened. He was going to take away Gabe the only reason she wasn't failing this course. What a jerk.

"Oh come now everything will be fine, you all cook splendidly..." he looked at Suki disapointedly, she knew he did.

"It's okay Suki I'll make sure you still get a decent grade." she halfheartedly smiled at her as he packed up his stuff.

"Thanks Gabe..." She sighed collapsing onto the counter once again. She didn't care who was her partner now, she didn't want to pick someone and drag their mark down so she thought it would be safer for them to just bring her curse upon herself.

She felt someone walk behind her to where Gabe usually sat, she heard the squeek and groan of the stool being occupied by someone heavier than Gabe. She thought about who it could be before she looked over at them. They still had time to escape her doom gracefully if she didn't look at them. Whoever it was was heavier than Gabe which ruled out most of the slender girls in the class. So it must have been a boy.

Whoever it was leaned in close to her and leaned on the counter next to her. He was to close to her. She could feel the heat of his skin transfer to her. She could feel that electric currant run through her body and tighten something inside her. She lifted her head to look at Ray, for it had to be him, who else would get this close to her without a word.

She was right. There he was, head resting on his forearms a soft smile spread sleepily across his features. His dark eyes were sparkling with laughter again, "So I hear your a terrible cook." he laughed lightly, his shoulders shaking softly.

"You hear right. So I'd suggest you find another partner before it's too late."

He sat up and stretched his arms and legs lazily, "Nonsense Suki." He leaned in close to her face again ans spoke, "I'm here to save your home ecc grade." he smiled and her head swam. Her senses where filled with him, the nervous anticipation of his closeness, the smell of soap, the sound of his overconfident words ringing in her ears.

She sat up and pushed the textbook at him, "I'd like to see that," she scoffed as he stood up and tied the crisp white apon around his uniform, "can you cook as well as dance? Did your mother make you learn that too?"

Ray didn't look at her as he skimmed through the recipe and started taking out the bowls and pans they would need. He just quietly said, "yes." and continued clanging around in the cupboards. Suki sat on her stool and felt like a jerk. No one at Tower liked to be reminded of the way things had been before the prison of a school, no one liked to talk about their families.

She watched half in awe half in confusion as Ray worked in the kitchen. Every once and a while he would get her to stir something while he did something more complicated. At least she could say that she was helping.

"What are we even making?" She asked after the first hour of the class had flied by with her silently watching him cook.

He shrugged, "Nothing special," he walked over to where she was sitting and stirring a mixture he had given her. He stood there silently for a moment watching her beat it without mercy, "Angry?"

"What?" She looked up at him surprised, "Not really?"

"Well those egg whites would say differently, you have to fold them gently."

She looked down into the bowl and mumbled, "I thought I was..."

"Oh." Ray bit his lip as he leaned down and took her hands in his. With one hand holding hers on the bowl and the other moving the wooden spoon he slowly started to fold the egg whites.

"Ray..." She kept her head down but turned her eyes to him. He was bent over his head inches from hers, his hair had fallen away from him creating a curtain so that Suki couldn't see his eyes. But she could see his mouth. He was biting it softly concentrating on the egg whites or her she couldn't tell. His hands where like oven's they where burning her hands but they were touching her so softly she could tell that he was afraid to hurt her.

"Yeah?" She watched as his mouth formed the word, fascinated by the way it twisted.

"Why are you nice to me and a jerk to everyone else?" She had meant to ask him how long they needed to fold the eggs but her mouth had had other plans. She felt her face get hot but she forced herself to watch him.

His mouth twisted into a half smile, "Because I like you."

Even thou she already knew that he liked her the words still made her heart pound, it felt like a jackhammer. It took her a moment to realize that he was still talking.

His dark confident voice filled her, "Keep folding the eggs until they start to peak and then give them to me. Okay? Suki?"

"Oh yeah okay." She focused on the the egg whites doing everything in her power to not look at Ray.

They sat against the cabinets watching the fancy cake rise in the tiny window of the stove. They sat too close to each other for Suki could feel his heat pulsating across the right side of her body. It had nothing to do with Ray in particular it had to do with a boy being so close to her. She tried to force the thought of how Gabe had never induced this kind of heart pounding intense awareness away from her mind and focus on praying that the cake didn't taste like dirt.

"It's not going to taste like dirt." Suki smiled up at Gabe. He slid down the cabinets and settled into the spot on the left hand side of his friend. He leaned forward around Suki and watched Ray for a minute silently before speaking to him, "Home Ecc says your the best student he has...so why are you making cake for Suki?"

Ray didn't move, he looked straight ahead watching the cake intently but he sighed softly, "You know why."

The jackhammering in her chest intensified and she was sure that her face must have been bright red. She begged the universe to not have Gabe notice.

He didn't, or if he did he didn't say anything, he made an amused noise in the back of his throat and sat back against the cabinet.

Suki walked to the cafeteria with Gabe like she usually did on Thursday's but this time instead of feeling defeated and depressed she was quite pleased with herself. She had finally made something that didn't taste like dirt. Or rather Ray had made something that tasted wonderful and let her take the credit.

She sat across from CJ and opened the container that she had carried the cake in.

"What's that?" CJ and Ian eyed it nervously confused at how happy their friend looked.

"It's cake!" she declared happily, "And it doesn't taste like dirt!"

"How?" CJ asked as she tentatively took a piece of the fancy looking cake.

Gabe took a piece of the cake greedily, "Ray made it, that's why it doesn't taste like dirt." he stuffed the cake in his mouth happily and with a mouth full of the grade saving cake he spoke what Suki was thinking, "He may be a jerk but he makes a delicious cake."


	3. Poker

A/N: I just loved this idea. This story is a lot more lighthearted then Movie Night, its a nice break from the drama.

**Ray's Skills: Poker**

"I think it would be a very good idea for you to fold," Gabe smiled across the table at a grumpy looking Don Finch, "You love folding, it only seems right that you do what you love..."

"Stop it Gabe." Ian told him quietly looking over his own hand.

"Yeah!" CJ spoke sharply from the couch, "If I'm not allowed to play because of my powers you shouldn't be allowed to use yours."

Suki smiled as she threw another small piece of paper into the middle of the small table in the lounge. She liked Friday nights for just this reason, she, Gabe, Ian and some other student would play poker after dinner. They did this so that they didn't strike up any curiosity as to where they always disappeared to, but Suki genuinely had fun. She liked watching CJ try and talk her way into the game unsuccessfully, she liked it when every third hand Gabe would try and use his skill on the other student. But most of all she liked winning. She won every week. She almost felt bad, almost.

She looked causally around the lounge taking in the warm orange light, the dark leather furniture and the students that were occupying there free hours avoiding their homework. Sharing the couch with CJ watching the game lazily was Ray. He seemed to be everywhere recently and every time she saw him she felt a hot anticipation fill her as if she was excited to see what he would do next. So far he had thrown her expectations of him out the window in a whirling display of the waltz, and saved her home economics grade with delicious cake. Each time he touched her it felt like she was on fire and it broke her heart a little bit with how delicately he held her, like she was a china doll.

"Ray! Help me out here man!" Don yelled causing Ray to look up from his conversation with Zack and lock eyes with Suki. She could feel her face get hot and she was sure Ian and Gabe had noticed because when she pulled her eyes quickly away they were both looking at her.

"What?" she asked quietly willing the blood to move away from her face.

Ian and Gabe shrugged nonchalantly and looked over their cards again.

"Hey!" Don waved Ray over and sighing he said something softly to Zack and then made his way over to the small table, "Help me! I refuse to have Suki win every game."

"She wins every game because you are god awful." Ray smirked

"Um no, "Suki cleared her throat indignantly, "I win every time because I am amazing."

"You're good sure, but I would win every time if I played with these guys." there was a challenge in his voice that made Suki angry. He brushed his hair out of his face lazily and waited for her verbal challenge. He didn't have to wait long.

"I can beat you."

"Oh?" he tapped Don on the shoulder pushing him gently out of his seat. He took his place across from Gabe his long legs touching Suki's under the table, "Did you want to make a wager than Miss Sato?"

The confidence in his voice, the smug look on his face and the feel of his legs touching hers drove her over the edge. She took a deep breath and placed her cards heavily on the table, "What did you want if you win?"

Ian put down his cards and took Gabe's and began to shuffle the cards.

"What are you doing?" Gabe asked confused.

"Isn't obvious? We aren't playing the next hand." He nodded towards Suki and Ray the challenge was almost palpable as were several other emotions coursing between Ray and Suki but Ian choose to ignore those on the basis that he didn't particularly care for Ray and whatever he was trying to start with Suki was none of his business, so far at least.

"I win you have to eat lunch with me for a week."

"A week? For one hand of poker? That's a bit much isn't it?" She could feel her heart hammering against her chest and was afraid that it was going to run away.

"I thought you were confident in your skills?"

"I am!"

"Then it shouldn't matter what I would win."

She bit her lip before nodding her agreement.

"What do you want Suki?" his voice was low and somehow it seemed sultry as if behind the question all sorts of vulgar, dirty and adult thoughts lived.

Swallowing she thought for a moment, what did she want? She wanted to know why Ray wouldn't leave her alone, she wanted to get out of this school, she wanted new computer components, she wanted her bedroom rearranged...

"I win you have to make me more cake."

"Fine-" he sounded almost pleased.

"And you have to be nice to everyone for at least a month."

"A month!" he leaned forward in his seat so quickly it looked as if he was going to fall off it.

"A month." she repeated.

"A months a little long isn't it?"his voice was far more nervous than he would have liked.

"I thought you were confident in your skills?" she quirked an eyebrow throwing his words back at him, and to add insult to injury she did it in his confident dark tones.

"Fine lets do this."

"Okay," Ian spoke looking around at his classmates that had gathered to watch the showdown, "It's almost curfew so we're going to play _Straight._" he dealt out the cards to Ray and Suki. They were watching each other intently, a blush rose in Suki's face as she watched her opponent.

"Two please." she asked Ian never taking her eyes off of Ray. She took the cards from her friend without looking.

"One." Ray asked smirking at Suki. He rearranged his cards and quirked an eyebrow, "Did you want to do the honours?"

She lay her cards down on the table and spread them so that everyone could see, "Four of a kind." There sitting in front of her where four nines, "I look forward to more cake." she smirked.

"And I look forward to your company tomorrow." He threw his cards down in front of her. She gathered them together as he stood up, there looking up at her was a straight flush Ace high. He leaned over her chair and spoke quietly into her ear, once again she could feel his mouth on her skin, "I'm glad you liked the cake, I can make you some more tomorrow. Oh and we'll be eating outside, it's supposed to me nice."

Suki bit her lip and sat silently across from Ian trying to sort out how she felt. He was good at cards sure but she was sure she was better, he had just gotten lucky. She wanted to play him again. She also wanted to eat some of that delicious cake, perhaps eating lunch with him wouldn't be that bad after all.

Still confused she stood up, wished Gabe and Ian a good night and left the lounge with CJ.

"What did he whisper to you?" she asked desperately when they were out of earshot of the boys. She had that look on her face again, giddy.

"Why are you so excited about this? I have to eat lunch with Ray..."

"I have to live vicariously through you."

"What are you talking about?"

"Ray is trying to win you over, its sweet and exciting. I however have Ian who is barely aware that he likes me." she sighed as they entered their room.

"You think Ray's trying to win me over?" She asked quietly turning down her bed.

"Absolutely. And do you want to know a secret?" CJ's voice was hushed and in the dim light she leaned towards Suki. Everything about the situation made Suki desperately want to know the secret.

"What?" she asked in equally hushed tones leaning toward her best friend.

"I think it's working." Suki could hear the smile in CJ's words and it forced a blush into her face. Suki made a disapproving noise as she turned into bed. But as the lights went out she could feel her face get hot and her mind whirled with thoughts of Ray, the way his skin felt on hers, the way the feeling lingered long after he had gone. In fact she could still feel his mouth on her ear, feel the heat of his breath against her neck. A nervous anticipation flooded her body, it took her hours to get to sleep.

A/N: sorry its so short but I'm sleepy and my legs gone before me so I'm cutting it here before I get into another skill. Everyone excited about Ray and Suki's picnic? I know I am.


	4. Poetry

A/N: It seems like I do a chapter of Movie night and then a Chapter of this. Huh weird, hope you like it. And if you haven't checked it out yet the newest chapter of Movie night is up.

**Ray's Skills: Poetry**

The chair was uncomfortable and her cereal tasted like cardboard. She was nervous and...perhaps excited. _No not excited filled with dread more like. _She pushed her cereal away violently spilling some milk on the table.

"You okay Suki?" Ian asked putting a napkin on the spill he looked up at her concerned. They were almost the only people in the cafeteria. It was still quiet early on a Saturday and most people were still in bed save for a few students who had early work studies and the ones that couldn't sleep like Suki.

"Yeah..." she flicked her head moving her hair away from her face.

"You know you don't have to have lunch with him right?" Ian wasted no time in getting to the root of the problem.

"He won."

"He won your company? How medieval." Gabe inserted himself into the conversation placing his heavily laden tray next to Suki.

"I'm sure it won't be that bad."she added not looking at either of them.

"Well you just say the word and we will have an emergency only you can solve. Okay?" Ian held up his PDA to emphasize his point.

"Oh but make sure to get some of the cake before you go."

"Gabe?" Ian's voice was both appalled and amused.

"What the cake is delicious." Gabe shrugged speaking around a mouth full of decadent looking breakfast food, "Plus it's fresh, i walked past the Home Economics room on my way here and he was baking." Gabe put down his fork and picked up his coffee inhaled deeply and laughed, "If he wasn't such a huge jerk I might be in love with him just because of that cake."

The image of Gabe swooning over Ray made Suki laugh so hard she started to cough.

"You okay?" Ian asked voice concerned he put her discarded bowl on his own tray and stood up.

"Yeah I'm fine, thanks."

"Okay well you know that you can message us anytime..." he looked at her for what seemed like an eternity. His gaze made her oddly uncomfortable, she nodded and let out a breath when he turned away.

"Stop it." CJ's voice was harsh as she slapped her friends hand away from her PDA, "It's only been like three minutes since you last checked."

CJ and Suki where sitting in the lounge on their floor playing checkers. They were sitting on the floor in front of the couch, their homework sitting in an ignored pile on the couch.

"King me!" CJ smiled happily her arms in the air triumphant.

"Ugh, you would never be winning if we were playing chess." Suki grumbled as she king-ed CJ. It was a disgrace Suki had one king-ed piece and three others on the entire board whereas all of CJ's checkers were now king-ed.

"That's why we don't play chess." She smiled and danced a little as she moved her newly king-ed piece across the board efficiently ending the game.

"You enjoying that a little too much Ceej..." she grumbled placing the pieces back on the board where they belonged, "Again."

"You do not take losing very well do you." CJ smiled pleased that they had found a distraction that Suki could focus on rather then the time.

_Beep beep_

Both girls looked at their P.D.A.'s confused.

When CJ looked up from her dark P.D.A. she saw Suki's face had become red.

"What is it? Are you okay?"

Suki handed her friend her P.D.A. silently.

CJ was confused she looked at the girl focusing on her features and tried to read her, confused, embarrassed, flattered, and she wasn't sure but it may have been happy, hidden underneath everything else. She turned her attention to the machine and saw something that made her smile.

Suki had received a message from Ray she popped open the message and read it silently:

_How I wish you could see the potential, _

_the potential of you and me._

_It's like a book, elegantly bound but_

_on a language that you can't read_

"Suki that's beautiful." She handed the machine back to her there hands touching briefly, but even in that brief contact she could feel how hot and nervous her friends hands were.

"I guess so." she closed the message and saw that there was only an hour left until lunch would begin. She could feel her heart beating far faster and harder than it should have been for sitting playing checkers but there it was slamming against her chest. Her skin felt hot and she was having trouble sitting still.

"Did you want to just go now?" CJ asked starting to pack up the game without waiting for an answer.

"There's still an hour left?"

"You can sit outside, maybe the fresh air will make you feel better."

"I feel fine..." Suki looked at her friend who was giving her a look that clearly said that 'you can't hide from me', "maybe you're right...join me?"

"For awhile sure."

"I over heard from Cindy Sellers, you know the girl who cries a lot?"

Suki nodded, it was true, Cindy Sellers was crying 9 out of every 10 times Suki saw her, "Uh huh?"

"So yeah she was down in the Home ec room this morning to try and cry her way into a better grade and Ray was there baking. According to Cindy it was the most adorable thing she's ever seen, like in a frilly apron and everything."

Suki smiled in spite of herself as they left the building and walked outside. Ray had been right it was nice it. The sun was out, the air was warm, there was a slight breeze that rippled the bright green grass every once and a while. There was just the right amount of clouds out to watch, so that is what CJ and Suki did, They lay down near a nice oak tree and stared up at the sky.

"Sheep."Suki pointed at a rounder looking cloud.

"Where?" CJ asked and moved her head next to her friends hoping to see from her perceptive.

"Right...there."

"Oh I see it now, If you turn your head this way it looks like a rocket." Suki moved her head the way CJ had motioned and stared at the cloud willing a rocket to appear.

"Do you think Ian likes me?" CJ's voice was soft and scared and it warmed Suki's heart to know that she cared enough about Suki to put her 'I'm in charge' voice away.

"He danced with you didn't he? A slow dance this time even thou he had no idea how. So I'd say yes."

_Beep Beep_

Both girls looked at Suki's P.D.A. knowing exactly who it was.

Suki swallowed hard and picked up the beeping machine. She tapped Ray's name on the screen and up popped another message.

Suki held the message at arms length reading the message against the backdrop of the beautiful blue sky. Her heart was beating erraticly and she could feel that her face was hot. _How dare he! How dare he send me something so sweet! How dare he make me blush like this!_

"Was it him?"

Suki threw the phone down at CJ. She grunted a little at the force at which it had slammed into her stomach. She picked up the machine and looked at the message. CJ read it and sighed heavily.

"Oh Suki..." CJ sat up and looked down at the red faced girl and read it aloud,

"_How tired i am of this unbearable distance between us_

_How i long for the toll of the lunch bell_

_Have you forgotten me?_

_Grown mindless of me?_

_Tell me i am not writing into an abyss or _

_That is what will become of my heart"_

CJ took a couple deep breaths to calm her own rapidly beating heart, "Suki that's so beautiful..."

"Did I tell you that he told me I was beautiful?"

"What? When?"

"A couple of months ago, when we were out in the forest. He told me I was beautiful." Suki said it very matter of factly but she couldn't hide the underlying awe in her words.

"That's really cute."

"I guess so." Suki shrugged not looking at her friend just staring absently into the sky, "It was when I was standing in poison ivy, I thought he was trying to take a picture of me...I told him not to...he told me not to worry,"

"You look beautiful in this light." She finished the story in Ray's voice, calm and darker and oddly honest.

The bell for lunch rang and CJ stood up, "I better go get some lunch, I have my work study after lunch so I won't see you until dinner but I want to hear everything." She put Suki's phone on the grass next to her and started to walk away. She hadn't gotten very far when she turned to look at Suki, she was sitting up now watching her go, "Everything will be fine, and if it isn't Ian's been thinking up plausible disasters all morning."

Suki watched her friend enter the building before she flopped back onto the moved her hand around blindly beside her and grabbed the machine that bore her name. She tapped the screen, tapped on Ray's last message, read it once more and smiled in spite of herself and tapped on the reply button

_Outside, by the cafeteria doors, by a tree, on the grass_

She looked at her words for a long time, if she sent this it meant that she was going to be having lunch with Ray. She tapped send and then threw the object down into the grass beside her and continued to find sail boats and rabbits in the sky.

She could hear him before he got close. There was nothing really tell tale about the sound but she just knew that it could be no one but Ray. Who else would have business outside. Despite the pleasant climate most students preferred to remain inside.

"Did you have a good morning?" He asked laying down beside her, "Tree." he pointed up at the sky.

"It was alright, I'm pretty sure that CJ cheats at checkers." She shrugged into the grass and felt the closeness of his body like someone had hit her with a shovel. His nearness seemed sudden and urgent, she tried to ignore the tingling sensation by pointing out a couple of clouds that looked like a Lion eating a boat.

"Who needs to cheat at checkers?" he laughed quietly moving closer to her looking for her view of the sky, "I don't see it, all I see is a little girl round-housing a goat." They were touching now, his head almost leaning on her shoulder, her entire left hand side was touching him.

"Little girl?"

"Yeah there." He took her arm in his hand and started to point out the cloud formations with it.

She cleared her throat but left her hand enveloped in his, "I hear you had an eventful morning? Complete with frilly apron."

"The apron wasn't frilly, it was just wrinkled, Cindy Sellers should wipe her eyes before she gossips." He laid her hand down across her body gently letting his fingers linger on her skin longer than necessary before he sat up, "Speaking of aprons are you hungry?"

"Yes." She sat up as well and got a good look at a box he had brought with him. She craned her neck trying to look over his shoulder and see all the foodstuffs he had brought with him, "I'm thirsty too."

"Here." He handed her a freshly opened bottle of root beer without looking at her, "You like root beer right?"

"Umm yes it's my favourite."

"I figured, Whisper gives it to you a lot."

"How do you?"

He shrugged, "I notice a lot of things about you... that sounds kind of creepy doesn't it?" he turned around and handed her a sandwich.

"A little." she answered looking at his pant leg avoiding eye contact. She couldn't see her face but from the heat it was giving off she knew that it would be red.

"Sorry." he lay back on the ground taking a sandwich with him, "A zombie book capturing a princess in a tower."

"How on earth could you?" She laid down next to him getting her head close to his trying to find the captured princess, "Holy crap it's a zombie book capturing a princess in a tower...wow." she took a large bite of her sandwich and sat up quickly. It had an odd taste, a deliciously odd taste. She looked at the sandwich carefully before she realized what it was, "You made this."

"Yes. You seemed to like my cooking so I thought... that's okay isn't it?" he sat up, they had moved so close to each other while watching clouds that they were almost sitting in each others laps when they sat up.

"No of course it's fine." Suki smiled brightly and the smile spread to Ray, the breeze picked up and tossed Suki's hair into her food. Laughing a little Ray caught the offending hair and moved it away tucking it behind her ear. His hand slid slowly down the strand, his touch lingering too long and there bodies too close. The rustle of the leaves in the tree above them and the beating of her heart, and Ray's shallow breath where the only things that Suki could hear.

It took her breath away how perfect the moment was. Sitting outside, underneath a tree, the slow breeze moving her hair, Ray's outstanding closeness and his battle to keep her hair out of her locked eyes and Ray moved closer to her. Her eyes were focused on his mouth and the distance that was disappearing between them.

_Beep Beep_

Her phone went off and the magic of the moment was broken. Ray took his hand away from her hair and moved away from her as Suki picked up her phone. Whoever this was she hated them. There were two messages

_Did you need us to have an emergency? I thought of a really good one!_

_-Ian_

_Don't forget to save me some cake_

_-Gabe_

She grumbled angrily and threw her phone back to the ground.

"Everything okay?" Ray asked around the straw from his juice box. He looked like a little kid, leaning back on his elbows in the grass enjoying a juice box. It gave him a surprisingly innocent air.

"Yeah, Gabe just wants cake."

Ray shook his head and removed a smaller box from his box of foodstuffs and handed it to Suki, "Here." She opened the box gingerly and found in it half of the delicious cake, "It's only half of what I made, because that's Home Ec's fee for using the lab."

"He makes you pay him in cake?"

"Well I do make a pretty great cake." he smiled smugly and she laughed.

They laid in the grass eating and making ridiculous storied out of the cloud formations until Ray's alarm went off.

Suki sat up and watched him and he riffled through his pockets to come out with his P.D.A.

"What is it?"

"I have training with Coach in twenty minutes." he responded displeased. He looked back at her and smiled, "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Of course." She wanted to say that that was part of the bet but somehow she knew that would hurt him and for some reason she just couldn't bring herself to do it. She blamed his poetry and handmade lunch. He had put a lot of care into their lunch meeting it didn't seem fair to take it away from him. He smiled brightly at her and it sped up his heart, he leaned toward her, her eyes widened was he going to kiss her? _That's ridiculous am I sending signals telling him to? Stop it body!_ But he stopped leaning in and just gently moved her hair out of her face, "I should really wear a headband." she sighed her breathing returning to normal now that it was obvious that he wasn't going to kiss her.

"Don't." he told her softly, he let his fingers graze her skin softly as he got up and walked back into the school.

She stayed in the grass a few extra minutes before she packed up the picnic and headed back into the dorm building. She stopped at Ian and Gabe's room first.

She knocked and waited, she could hear someone moving around the room, she tapped her foot impatiently waiting for the door to open. Gabe whipped the door open finally and a smile burst into life across his face.

"Cake?"

"Here this should last you for a while, don't bother me again during lunch, and tell Ian I won't be needing his emergencies."

"He'll be heartbroken he was having fun coming up with emergencies..." He walked back into the room and put the cake on his desk next to Senior Guappo as if the sock monkey would keep it safe, "So you had an okay time then?"

"Yeah it was good." she was slightly embarrassed to admit it.

"Well I feel it is my duty as your friend to say be careful. Also if he makes you cry..."

"You'll beat him up?" she tried to keep the laughter out of her voice but it was impossible.

"Nooo Miss Smarty Pants... I'll get Ian to beat him up. And I won't even need to use my skill to do it." Gabe smiled and started rooting though his drawers looking for something. Suki watched curiously until he came out of the drawer with a fork.

"I'll leave you to alone now." She laughed as she left her friends room and headed back to her own. She wasn't quite sure why but on the way back to her dorm she pulled her P.D.A out and read the poetry again.

**A/N**: So the poetry is totally from Death cab for cutie and the Indigo 'Reading Inspires Children'/ 'Love of Reading' commercial from a couple of years ago. I'm in love with it and it's actually on my youtube ray/suki playlist that I listen to when I'm writing.

Did anyone notice the references to some of my other Ray/Suki works? Imaginary cookies for the people who pick them out

**Ray's next Skill: Chess**


	5. Chess

A/N: this took forever for several reasons. First off I didn't really like anything I wrote. And Secondly I got super distracted, first by a new tv show House of Anubis (great by the way) and then Little Giants and of course I had to write fiction for both of them. But last night while listening to Neko Case something just clicked. I'm so sorry.

**Ray's Skills: Chess**

"I have a problem." Suki's words hit CJ before she could get fully into the room after her work study.

"Lunch was bad?"

"Lunch was great. It was handmade, and he had root beer and we watched clouds and talked about nothing." CJ watched closely as Suki's face displayed an incredibly torn and confused array of emotions.

"You love root beer, what's the problem then?"

"He knew I liked root beer." she stood quickly from CJ's bed as the taller girl approached.

"Okay..." the word was stretched as CJ tried to figure out how that was a problem.

"He can waltz, and cook wonderful food, he can play a good hand of poker and write sweet words and he knows that I like root beer." Suki was moving around the room too quickly and erraticly for CJ to read her emotions properly.

"Why is the root beer so important?"

"He likes me. A lot."

"Yes..." CJ quirked an eyebrow.

"I think I might like him back." She wasn't looking at CJ, in fact she had her back to her friend. Even thou this was the case it was clear to CJ just how desperate Suki wished it wasn't true.

"Is that really such a bad thing?" CJ was surprised at how soft and motherly the words floated out of her mouth.

Suki still had her back to CJ and shrugged, "we almost kissed." the words were soft and held a romantic wistful quality to them. The words snapped CJ to attention.

"Oh my god tell me everything!" Suki finally turned to look at her roommate, her face was flushed and a happy frustration flitted behind the girls features.

"We were outside lying on the grass, like we were, and we had moved really close to each other, to see the clouds." She sat on her bed and faced CJ who was sitting on her own bed leaning forward captivated, " So i sat up because the sandwich tasted different, like homemade?" she looked at CJ for confirmation that Whisper made food taste different but CJ just shrugged, "Well anyway he had made the lunch himself."

"So Cindy isn't a liar."

"Ray says the apron wasn't frilly but I have my doubts. Anyway he sat up too and somehow we had gotten really close to each other and he was worried that making lunch was bad idea but it was delicious and I smiled and he smiled and the breeze picked up and all I could hear was my heart and the wind moving the leaves. And all i could feel was his breath on my skin and the breeze and a..." Her face reddened and she broke eye contact, instead watching as her fingers twisted in her hair, "I felt a nervous anticipation I guess. The breeze picked up my hair and it got in my sandwich, Ray moved it away slowly, tenderly... and then we looked at each other and he moved in and i couldn't move and then..."

"And then!"

"My PDA went off." the soft loving look in her face switched to frustrated, "I got a message from Ian _and_ Gabe."

"Those jerks!" CJ kicked out and fell back on to her bed.

"Yeah." Suki sounded unimpressed and nervous and when CJ looked at her she could tell that a myriad of feelings were coiling themselves around her.

"Did you want to beat me at chess? It'll make you feel better."

"Yeah okay."

CJ looked at the little marble horse, picked it up and made it gallop through the air. Suki smiled warmly setting up the last of the pieces, CJ could be wonderfully childish when they were alone together.

That was the CJ Suki liked best.

"Okay so how does it work?" she put the knight back onto the table and turned her attention solely on Suki.

"So the object of the game is to capture my king." she held up a piece as she spoke.

CJ was entranced by Suki's talk on chess, how all the pieces moved, basic strategy and a little history on the game. She was so entranced that she hadn't noticed that several students had come into the lounge.

This fact was not however lost on Suki seeming as one of the people who had sauntered into the room was Ray. He was laughing quietly with Zack he looked tired but pleased. Somehow even the way he walked fascinated Suki, it was smooth and graceful and reminded her of being led gently across the dance floor.

"Suki are you okay?" CJ asked coming out of the chess trance, alerted that something was off by the emotions that had flashed across her face. CJ looked around the room and saw Ray. he was sitting on the floor with Zack in front of the bookshelf and they were taking out books laughing and then putting them back.

"of course I'm fine."

"sure." she stretched out the word with disbelief. it was as if Suki would forget that she could read her like a book.

"So are you looking forward to lunch?"CJ asked far too suggestively and far too loudly.

"Ceej..." Suki whispered nervous and embarrassed her face red.

Ray got CJ's not so subtle hint and silently excused himself from Zack's company. He leaned causally on the back of Suki's chair making sure to rest his arms on the back of the chair so close but not quite touching her.

Suki swallowed and the red in her checks deepened.

"Chess huh?" his long arm appeared and slid across her shoulder toward the board. He picked up the queen delicately twirled it in his fingers leaning forward, his chest resting against the back of her head.

"Yes I was going to teach CJ..."

The electric nervousness that accompanied Ray's closeness washed over her like a tidal wave. She couldn't see most of him but she could feel him around her, everywhere, it was all her brain could process. Ray.

"Impressive." his voice was low and thou his mouth wasn't close to her skin she could somehow still feel it wash over her.

She thought she was going to die.

"She took pity on me for not being able to play cards with you guys."CJ offered feeling the nervous tension in her friend and a small prick of guilt.

"I'm quite good at chess." he spoke softly as he placed the marble piece back on the board, "did you want to play with me?"

Suki didn't think any sentence could be more suggestive, the words pounded in her heart speeding the already lightening pace.

CJ could see the _no_ forming in Suki's face, a desperate and scared _no._ Her whole body seemed to scream out to CJ _no I don't want to fall in love with you!_

She wasn't sure but she was starting to think that Ray could read Suki almost as well as she could because there was a nervous crafty look to his features like he knew she didn't want to play with him and he was working out a way that she wouldn't be able to refuse.

CJ was fascinated at their interaction, Ray seemed to know just the right amount of soft lingering contact to drive Suki crazy.

Ray's fingers pulled a wandering piece of hair fro Suki's face, slowly and deliberately tucking it behind her ear. He leaned down over the chair and spoke softly a devious smile spreading across his face.

"That is, if your not worried about losing to me again."

All of a sudden Suki's nervous, scared _no_ switched to indignation. But behind the indignation and outrage lived an excited joy.

"That was a fluke!" She clenched her fists and bit her lip, she knew very well that she was falling into his trap again.

CJ had already moved out of the seat for Ray to occupy. His smooth graceful movements fascinated CJ as well. It seemed odd for someone who could bench press a car to move so fluidly. He sat down and by the sudden stiffness of Suki's body she knew that Ray had let his long legs rest against hers under the table. CJ put a hand on Suki's shoulder and settled into the space next to her chair. She was amazed by chess somehow the intricate pieces the formality of the game entranced her.

She watched as Ray finished setting up the pieces long fingers moving quickly and concisely. This was the boy who was in love with Suki. For surly he was, it was written all over his attempts to be near her, it was in the way his eyes light up when he spoke to her.

The match went in a blur of movement CJ only barely understood, they were both quick and sure of their moves, she knew that Suki's confidence rested in years without a defeat, in being taught by whatever a grandmaster was.

She wasn't sure where Ray's confidence came from but it was fitting she didn't think she had seen Ray do something he wasn't incredibly confident in as long as she had known him. It was just now being brought to light that maybe his confidence rested in the fact that he knew exactly what he wanted to accomplish. For CJ was sure no matter who won this game Ray would really be the winner.

"Check" Ray's voice was deep and sultry, or at least that's how it came across to Suki. With his dark eyes focused not on the deft movements of his fingers across the board but on her. Focused so heatedly that she thought his gaze would burn a hole in her.

Suki bit her lip and moved her King out of the check. he was good. Was he good at everything?

"Did your mother make you learn this too?" She asked trying to move his attention away from her and the game.

"No." he said quietly in a tone that seemed both hurt and secretive. Like he wanted to share something with her but she had turned him away. Perhaps she shouldn't have mentioned his mother. Family in general was a pretty touchy subject for everyone.

"Check." he said again. he sounded almost tired and this gaze had dropped from her face.

She had surely hurt him by bring up his mother in that tone.

CJ had tried to focus on the game so that she could play with Suki later but what she was really understanding was the players. Suki's ears were red with frustration, Rays face was pale and his eyes had softened in a painful memory.

Sighing heavily Suki did all that she could do. Lose gracefully. She tipped her King on his side and forced herself to speak,

"You win."

What was really flashing behind her features was indignation, frustration, anger and worry. Suki had thought that she was unbeatable, that she hadn't lost a game since she was ten. but there Ray was, sitting calmly across from her, the winner.

Ray nodded. He held none of that smug satisfaction she had expected. It was almost as if playing made him sad. He stood easily and gracefully from the seat, an easy fluid motion that temporarily captivated Suki. He closed the distance between them and leaned down to whisper in her ear. That incredible teasing closeness he was so found of and that made her insides do the timewarp.

"My father taught me that before he died." his closeness only increased the feeling that his deep slow words were only for her. as if she was the only one allowed to know him.

It twisted her heart and warmed her body to feel his closeness. She was much closer to him than she would have ever wanted, her heart was getting tangled in his, it was getting harder for her to tell them apart as the days went on.

He had one secret after another, shared just for her. His words made her feel sad and important, his nearness made her feel like a teenager all jumping nerves and heat.

Ray straightened and placed a hand softly on her arm. Her skin on fire under his touch.

"Let me know when your ready for a rematch." he let his hand slowly travel up her arm as he walked away, "Good night Suki."

"Good night Ray." she whispered not sure if he heard her as he left, not sure if it mattered. Suki stood and walked slowly back to her dorm, CJ rushing to follow.

"You okay? I know you hate losing." CJ offered knowing very well that that wasn't what was wrong at all.

Suki shrugged, "Is there anything he isn't good at?" for it seemed to her that he was good at everything. His soft touches and sweet words lingered in her brain and more unfortunately the had worked there way into her soul.

"Um English? He's awful at the class." CJ smiled triumphantly for it was indeed becoming hard to see Ray's downsides. When she was with Gabe and Ian Ray's bad side was so glaringly obvious but with Suki, with the soft look in his eyes and the nervousness it was indeed hard to see what was wrong with Ray, "Oh, he's also kind of a jerk."

"That's true." Suki smiled reassured that Ray wasn't perfect. She just wished her heart would stop fluttering around like an idiot when she thought about lunch tomorrow.


	6. Guitar

**Ray's Skills: Guitar**

Sunday mornings were Suki's favourites. They were slow and lazy and she and CJ would hideout in their room for hours. They would make a makeshift blanket fort on CJ's bed and watch an old science fiction show they found in Whispers archives. They would fluctuate between being infatuated with the show and completely ignoring it.

They would talk about nothing and everything. However the topic of today's discussion was a little too focused for Suki's taste.

"He's totally in love with you."

"He is not."

Suki tried to roll away from CJ but the taller girl would have none of it. She grabbed Suki around the middle and rolled her back to her.

"He is too. You think I can't read him? And even if I couldn't I would still know he loves you just like the whole school does." CJ shook her head amazed that Suki didn't see it, how could she not see it, "Even Jean Fording can see it and she's blind."

"he can't love me." Suki's words were sharp and final as she turned back to watch the middle aged man in a cricket outfit walk into the large blue box.

"And why is that?" CJ straightened herself to her proper height trying to add some authority to her point of view.

Suki flopped backwards her head slamming painfully against the side of the bed. She let out a long exasperated sigh, " He's too good. He's good at everything. Why would someone like that like me." the self pity was running rampant in her voice.

"What!" CJ sputtered confused and outraged that Suki could think such a thing.

"I don't know why he liked me but it was a lot easier to except when he wasn't a renaissance man."

CJ was sleepy and unfocused but she could still read the scared inadequate feeling coiling around Suki's body like a python, "Suki you can't really believe that?" CJ's words were quiet because she knew that she did believe that. CJ sat there next to Suki watching the man in the cricket outfit straighten the celery in his breast pocket wondering what she could say to make Suki feel better. Most girls would be incredibly pleased to have such a talented boy like them but Suki seemed to feel the opposite. It seemed absurd Suki was one of the most talented people that CJ had ever known.

"I'm going to tell him to leave me alone at lunch." She grumbled quietly as if she didn't particularly like the idea either but thought it necessary. Yesterday afternoon she had had no problem with him being in love with her but beating her at chess seemed to push her over some strange edge where he had become to good for her.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"He's not perfect you know that right?"

"He certainly seems it." Suki mumbled rolling off the bed and making her way to her closet signifying that their Sunday morning ritual was being cut short.

The closer they got to the cafeteria the louder it got, the air was filled with the clamour of teenage voices and the clatter of things falling to the ground. Suki and CJ rounded the corner just in time to see a stocky blonde boy fly across the room. Suki's eyes traced the path of destruction and landed firmly on the person responsible. One of the few people at school who could throw a boy twice his size across the room without messing up his hair.

Ray Snider. He was standing away from the crowd of students his face red with anger and blood on his knuckles.

Suki swallowed for despite her distaste for violence she couldn't stop her heart from speeding up at the sight of Ray standing angry and victorious. His face was cold, eyes narrowed at the boy, his shirt was hanging on him lopsidedly.

"Ray!" Don Fincher's voice rang out from behind Suki and she sidestepped to avoid being trampled by the hurried red head, "Again?"

Ray's eyes were drawn to Don and because of that he saw Suki. Standing in the doorway staring at him. He looked away ashamed and let Don fuss over him and pull him from the room before a monitor scampered in.

"See Ray isn't perfect." CJ spoke quietly so that only Suki could hear her but Suki was listening to something else. She could hear the blond boy's friend help him up.

'Why did you have to talk about Snider's mom like that? You know it makes him crazy.'

"He was defending his mothers honour..." Suki spoke quietly more to herself then to CJ. The more Suki knew about Ray the more he seemed like a knight, shining in his armour defending maidens and fighting villains. Sure the villains were usually just Ian and he wasn't very villainous but still. In her mind Ray might as well have been riding a white horse.

She didn't want to play damsel in distress for Ray's knight. She didn't like losing, she was bad at it and she lost every time to Ray. If she didn't put an end to all these teasing touches and sweet words she would keep losing.

Suki ate in silence thinking about how exactly she was going to end a relationship she wasn't in. 

It was still beautiful outside so when it was finally lunchtime she knew were he would be. She took a deep breath to steady herself and walked out the doors by the cafeteria slowly walking toward the oak tree she knew he would be under.

As she got closer a soft breeze blew her hair away from her face and brought the sweet soft sounds of a guitar to her ears. She was close enough now to see Ray, sitting with his back against the large tree, facing away from her. He has a blanket spread out and a box of what she fears are more hand made treats.

The twang of guitar hits her again and Suki cranes her neck to see if he's brought a stereo with him, but something isn't quiet right about it. The tune starts and stops and is occasionally off key. That's when she sees it. She's almost to the blanket and Ray shifts, not enough to see her behind him. Just enough to see him tune a guitar.

The sounds are him. He is playing softly, quietly to himself waiting for her. The tune starts up again, its beautiful and not incredibly dead on which makes her smile. She recognizes the tune and just as she gets to the tree he starts to sing.

"_Something in the way she moves..." _His voice is low and dark and soft and pulls at her heart. She doesn't want to watch him, it feels as if she is trespassing on something secret and private.

"_Attracts me like no other lover, something in the way she woos me..." _Suki slides down the tree and sits on the other side, facing away from him, soaking in the beautiful words and soft music.

There is something so beautiful in he way that he has to stop and start when he doesn't quiet get a cord right. The way there is a slight waver in his voice when he sings. She has pulled her legs up to her chest, her heart shaking like a scared rabbit.

"_You're asking me will my love grow,"_ the dark lower quality of his voice seems to make the song so incredibly personal,_ "I don't know, I don't know"_

He fumbles with a cord change and Suki's heart warms with a wonderfully real it feels. He's good but not perfect. He is human after all. She smiles and rests her head on her knees letting the melody wash over her and his words pull at her heart.

"_Somthing in the way she knows,"_ his words are slow and soft and it feels like he's touching her she can remember the way he feels so vividly that it's like he's touching her, skin on skin, slow and almost not there, burning and ice cold, _"All I have to do is think of her, something in the things she shows me..._

Suki bites her lip imaging how he would kiss her. She always thought he would be a rough kind of guy, overpowering like his ego and his strength but now she knows it wouldn't be like that.

"Suki?" Ray's voice has no melody in it and the guitar has stopped singing.

"Yeah?" She answers not moving from her protective spot on the other side of the oak tree, She is hiding in it's shadow and doesn't want to lose that protection just yet.

"Are you going to have lunch or just spy on me?"

"I haven't decided yet." She whispers, she had meant to tell him to leave her alone but something in the way he played has captured her heart.

"Thirsty?"

She nods for a moment until she realizes he can't see her, "Yes." She can see out of the corner of her eye him riffling through the box he pulled out a bottle. He holds out his hand and she takes it from him letting her fingers linger sending a sweet hot feeling rush through her.

Twisting the cap and lifting the bottle to her mouth she lets the sweet distinctive taste of root beer slide down her throat. The bottle is a testament to his feelings for her.

"Are you going to keep playing?"

"Should I never play again?" She can't see him but there is a nervous panic in his voice that she wishes she didn't enjoy as much as she does, "I should burn my guitar right?"

"I like it." Her voice is quiet and for a moment she's worried that he didn't hear her. He is silent for a few long moments and then the sound of the guitar can be heard.

Soft strumming can be heard from the other side of the tree followed by Ray's soft deep voice mumbling along with the tune.

"_I may not always love you, as long as there are stars above you, you'll never need to doubt it I'll make you so sure about it" _And with the words of Brain Wilson flowing out of Ray's mouth she didn't doubt it at all.

"_God only knows what I'd be without you."_

Suki stood up and moved to the other side of the tree. She sat down in front of him and watched his fingers move across the neck of the beaten up guitar. Her face was flushed and she couldn't look him in the eye.

"Suki?" She heard more than saw him put the guitar down.

"Yes?" She asked looking in his dark eyes, his face was flushed and he was moving toward her. The tune for God only knows playing softly in her head she watched entranced by Ray's smooth movements. He was suddenly beside her, so close that she could feel him with every part of herself. She bit her lip nervously her heart racing and her breath coming far too fast. His closeness felt like a heart attack. A beautiful heart attack she never wanted to stop. One hand was steadying himself as he leaned into her, the other had made its way to her neck. Pushing away the hair that had been resting there and feeling the hot skin there.

"I'm going to kiss you now, alright?"

**Next Skill: Kissing**


	7. Kissing

**Ray's Skills: Kissing**

"I'm going to kiss you now, alright?" His words were soft and nervous and brought a smile to her face.

The laziness of the Sunday morning flooded away from her, a rushing surging urgency taking its place. Suki leaned forward praying for nothing to interrupt this possibly perfect moment. Ian and Gabe had a way of destroying moments as perfect as this. The wind picked up tossing her hair around like he seemed to like.

His mouth was inches from hers, she could feel the heat of his skin, "Should I take your silence as a yes?" She felt the laugh in his voice, it rushed against her skin and rested somewhere in her heart.

"Shut up." She whispered hoping that maybe her words had the same sort of electric effect on him. Her fingers twisted in the soft smooth fabric of his shirt and pulled him as close as she dared.

His fingers rubbed softly at the skin of her neck. Even when he had declared that he would kiss her his touch was teasing and it drove her mad.

Then finally, what seemed like an aching eternity later his lips were on hers.

Barely touching her, soft, electric, burning.

The kiss was sweet and soft like the breeze rushing around them.

She smiled into his mouth laughing softly as he pulled away.

"Hey, your supposed to be breathlessly amazed at my kiss you know." he mocked hurt but the joke didn't reach his eyes. They were dark and moody and hurt.

"Then maybe you should try again?" Suki's voice was lower then usual, deepened by his affectionate action.

He said nothing, just smirked and leaned towards her. She leaned in to him taking a deep hopefully subtle breath readying herself for another tender contact. His hand moved her hair away from her face and neck and on its way back it traced a line down her neck. The slow smooth movements of his fingers twisted something inside her, it quickened her heartbeat. she didn't know what he was doing and she didn't really think it mattered as long as he was touching her.

He moved in and touched his mouth to her neck, tasting the skin there feeling her racing heartbeat. An incredibly soft and quiet noise escaped Suki's mouth, not quite a sigh not quite a gasp.

Ray moved his mouth barely away from her skin and moved up away from the base of her neck and kisses her again. He lifts away from her skin once more, incredibly close and yet achingly far away, he whispers against her ,"perhaps i need to work up to your mouth." the words are hot against her skin.

Suki does her best to steady herself, biting her lip and staring at the picnic basket he packed. It takes every ounce of strength in her to not fall into him, to let him do what ever he wants. The soft, hot, teasing of his mouth against her skin is only intensified by the slow movements of his hand on the other side of her neck, rubbing the skin there.

Suki doesn't think shes wanted anyone's mouth on hers as much as she wants Rays in her entire life. Surely this is the first boy she wanted this badly that wasn't fictional or a movie star. As Rays hot wet mouth closes on her jawline she rethinks that. She has never wanted that precious intimate contact with anyone real or imaginary as much as she wants Ray. The tightening twisting coil of anticipation resting in her gut is a declaration of her need.

"Ray?" she whispered not sure what she wants to say or if she wants to interrupt.

He moves slowly away from her skin leaving a cold painful empty feeling in her skin she didn't think possible.

"Yeah?" he asks taking a sip of her forgotten soda.

"I think I'm sufficiently breathless and amazed." she whispered shifting uncomfortably on the blanket.

"Oh?" Ray smirked raising an eyebrow and watching as Suki reached out for him. She grabbed a hold of the front of his shirt and pulled herself to him.

"Yes." she kissed him, mouth on mouth, she didn't think her heart could take anymore teasing slow contact. It needed to be hot, fast possibly even rough and definitely right now.

She pushed into him bruising her lips, relishing in the heat as he wrapped his arms around her. A band of comfortable, safe heat across her back.

His mouth moves against hers slowly forcing her to slow to his heartbreaking pace, its slow and it feels like shes on fire.

Burning and important.

In the back of her mind shes amazed at how good he is at building a slow intense burn in her. A couple of weeks ago she would have been sure that Ray was the type to be rough and self serving. To shove his tongue down her throat and put his hands under her skirt but she couldn't have been more wrong if she had thought the grass was purple.

The slow movement of his mouth against hers drives something in her chest crazy and he has one hand on the bottom of her skirt, half on the fabric half on her leg and she is appalled at how desperately she wants his skin on hers.

His mouth opens and with the way he has locked her lips against his hers opens as well. His tongue moves into her mouth stroking and she gasps softly into his mouth.

His movements are soft and gentle and if she wasn't so afraid she'd think that they were loving.

A sweet desperation settles in his actions, in the way his skin feels against her own.

Suki pulls away from him kissing him softly as she moves away from him. She's glad to see that he's red in the face and his chest is moving quickly.

He looks flustered and almost ashamed of himself, "I'm sorry, too much?"

The reality of the matter is that it wasn't enough and that is why she had to stop. Suki settles back on her heels on the picnic blanket and clears her throat. She can still feel his hands on her body, his hot kisses have left ghosts of feeling ringing throughout her body.

"It's not that at all." her voice is quiet and it feels like it could easily get lost in the wind.

"Then?"

"I'm hungry." she blurts out the first thing that comes to her head. She wants him to kiss her forever, she never wants to lose contact with the far too skilled boy. The feeling is powerful and frightening.

Ray laughs softly and reaches for the box of food he's packed. He pulls out some sandwiches and some bakes goods that Suki doesn't know the name off. They look complicated and delicious.

Ray pushes some hair out of his face and rest against the tree, he unwraps a sandwich and holds it out to Suki. She moves up towards him to grab the tenderly made food. She grabs the food and lightening quick Ray's hand is suddenly around her wrist.

"Ray?"

He is smiling and pulling her carefully close to him careful not to pull too hard. When she's between his legs and her hand is by his mouth he moves in that smooth and elegant way that in no way should belong to a boy stronger than an elephant. Holding her arm behind him he captures her mouth again. Quick and sweet he kisses her and then lets go of her.

Letting her fall back into a sitting position. Suki shakes her head breathless and smiling she eats.

It is an incredibly long lunch. It bleeds into the late afternoon. They eat slowly and lie on the blanket beside each other watching the sun make its way across the sky. They are talking about nothing and it warms something inside her that they are able to talk to easily.

"I hate that you're so good at everything." Suki said her words far sharper than she ever meant them to be.

Ray leans on his arm to look at her properly, "I'm really not."

"You are." Ray's body is so close to hers that if he rolled forward he'd be on top of her. The heat of his skin is flushing her face.

"Like what?" He raises an eyebrow as if he really has no idea what she could possibly think he was so good at.

"Dancing."

"You're just as good as I am." he brushes hair away from her face, his fingers linger on her skin tracing an invisible path.

"Poker."

"You're good at that too." He is smiling down at her and it feels warm and safe. Lying next to Ray is the safest she has ever felt and she doesn't want to move.

"What about chess and cooking?"

Ray laughs and the joyous sound washes over her body, "Yeah I am really good at those." He taps her nose softly, teasing, "Why does that bother you?"

"If your so good at all those thing..." she breaks off and looks away from him. She turns her head away and stares into the crayon green of the grass peaking over the edge of the blanket.

"Hey." Ray pushes her head back to face him, "what is it?"

"Why would you like me when you're so good at everything." Her voice hitches and she closes her eyes not wanting to look at him.

She isn't prepared for what happens next. She can feel Ray moving around her and she's sure that he must agree and is getting ready to leave when suddenly his mouth is on hers. Her eyes snap open and all she can see is his dark hair. He pulls away slowly.

"You're joking right?" he laughs until he sees the desperate look in Suki's eyes, "Oh god, Suki." He kisses her on the forehead and leans back, resting next to her in the now failing light. He grabs a hold of her hand and slides his fingers through hers, "You are the most amazing person I will ever know."

Suki stares up into the darkening sky and watches with a quickening heart the leaves dance above them.

"You would make rocket scientists quake in fear at your brilliance. You are devastatingly beautiful, really Suki it should be illegal its heartbreaking. You're funny and sweet and kind. I can't find a single flaw in you. Well you are a poor loser..."

"Hey!"

"Well you are."

"That's only because I very rarely lose. Except to you."

"If you want I can stop being so wonderful. I really only dusted all those skills off to win you over."

"Really?" Suki laughed, "I never would have known." everything in the way she said that made it more than clear that everyone had known that. From her tone he thought maybe astronauts in space may have seen right through him.

Ray sat up and started to pack away the picnic, "Well it worked didn't it?"

It took Suki a couple of silent moments to realize that he wanted an answer.

"Yes, and now you never have to beat me at cards or chess again." she smiled rolling up the blanket.

A/N: the end! Hopefully everyone is happy. Also did anyone know what old sci fi show CJ and Suki where watching? I couldn't help myself I had to make them watch Doctor Who. Wow I don't think I've ever finished a story on here before. Crazy. Please give me lots of love and feed back I live off that stuff. Thanks to everyone who has been patient with me and read this.


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